HIS 1938 - THE HOLOCAUST AND 20TH CENTURY GENO

credits: 3.0
Genocide - the deliberate attempt to eliminate a particular national or ethnic group - became almost a fad during the twentieth century. The most famous example of genocide, as well as the largest and the most systematic, was the Holocaust inflicted on the Jewish population of Europe by the Nazis. The Holocaust will be the main focus of this course. How did it happen, and why? To try to answer these questions, we will read historical accounts and survivors’ accounts and watch documentary films, along with feature films based on real events. We will look critically at Nazi ideology, and attempt to understand both the experiences of the victims and the psychology of the perpetrators. To provide a comparative perspective, we will also learn about some other examples of genocide in twentieth-century Europe, including, most recently, the events in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s, to see what was similar or distinctive about these other cases of genocide. If those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, and if we do not want to see similar cases of genocide occurring again, then learning about these historical events is where we need to start. Objectives: A) To describe and analyze the events that occurred during the Holocaust and other cases of genocide in the twentieth century in their social and historical context; B) To recognize the urgency of preventing such events from happening again; C) To improve writing and presentation skills. Method of Instruction: Class discussion, oral presentations, and videos. Method of Evaluation: Two four-page papers (60%), quizzes (10%), class presentation with a partner (10%), and attendance and participation (20%). Meets *WEP Distribution Requirements.